I'm tired of waiting!

[Nabob89]

I've finally got the money to change my 55-gallon FO into a reef. Before I drop big bucks on equipment, however, I want to run the details by you guys to make sure I don't waste lots of cash. I'm getting TEK 216w T5 lights (i've already been told which bulbs to get), an Aqua C Remora hang on protein skimmer, 3 maxijet poweheads w/ wavemaker, a HOB fuge (after a few months), about 80 lbs Fiji LR, and ill be adding LS to the sand already in the tank. I plan on having mostly softies/mushrooms/and maybe one SPS and clam after a few months. Does this sound ok?
Also, I need advice on the LR. Should I attempt to cure it on my own, or just spend the extra cash on pre-cured rock from my LFS? If i were to cure it on my own, should I just drop the rock in the tank (I'm giving all the critters currently in my tank to the LFS)? Do I just run my filter and skimmer while the rock sits in the water? How long should I leave it if I were to do this?
Thanks alot for any advice, and I'll keep everyone posted on the progress of the reef.
Matt

[reelfreak]

If you are giving all your creatures away, I would basically start from scratch w/ new LS and uncured liverock in the tank....unless you are absolutely positive your current sandbed isn't holding nitrates/phosphates. I wouldn't risk it though since you will be starting from scratch anyways basically.

As for the HOB fuge, you might want to try to rig something underneath as in a Fuge/ sump combo setup.....don't know what you are using for a filter now...W/D perhaps??

Basically I would try to avoid some of the common mistakes and do it right the first time......I say this because I turned my 55 FO to FOWLR, then reef.....and went from w/d filters to sump/skimmer/fuge for underneath.....In hindsight I wish I would have scraped the tank and started all over. JME though

As for the lights, thumbs up....just got mine recently and I really like them.

Good luck